Bathtub floating thermal insulators

ABSTRACT

Floating insulating devices are provided for use in a bath tub. The devices float on the surface of the bath water while a person is bathing and reduce the heat loss from the bath water. This lengthens the duration during which the bath water is at a desirable temperature and makes the bath more satisfying for the bather.

PRIORITY

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/596,686, filed Feb. 8, 2012, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

THE FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to maintaining the temperature of bath water. More specifically, the present invention relates to devices and methods for preventing heat loss from bath water.

BACKGROUND

While showers are often taken for speed and efficiency, baths are commonly taken for relaxation and enjoyment purposes. People desire to spend time in the hot bath water to relax. The hot bath water often serves a therapeutic purpose.

One significant challenge to taking baths is that persons typically have a limited supply of hot water and often run low on hot water after filling a bath tub. Use of additional hot water during the bath may frequently exhaust the person's hot water supply. There is a need for facilitating the taking of a hot bath without exhausting a limited supply of hot water.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved device and method for preventing heat loss from bath water.

According to one aspect of the invention, insulating devices are provided which float on the surface of the water. The devices prevent heat loss from the water. According to another aspect of the invention, floating insulating devices are provided which complement and enhance the bath experience, making the bath more enjoyable.

These and other aspects of the present invention are realized in floating bath water insulators as shown and described in the following figures and related description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the present invention are shown and described in reference to the numbered drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a floating insulating device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of another floating insulating device of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of another floating insulating device of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a close up perspective view of a floating insulating device of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 shows a number of floating insulating devices of the present invention in use in a bath tub according to the present invention.

It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The embodiments shown accomplish various aspects and objects of the invention. It is appreciated that it is not possible to clearly show each element and aspect of the invention in a single figure, and as such, multiple figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details of the invention in greater clarity. Similarly, not every embodiment need accomplish all advantages of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention and accompanying drawings will now be discussed in reference to the numerals provided therein so as to enable one skilled in the art to practice the present invention. The drawings and descriptions are exemplary of various embodiments and are not intended to narrow the scope of the appended claims.

Turning now to FIG. 1, a perspective view of a floating insulating device 10 is shown. In bathing, significant heat loss occurs which lowers the temperature of the bath water and causes a need for additional hot water to maintain the bath temperature. Some of the bath water heat is transferred into the bath tub. This is particularly true in the initial stages of filling a bath tub. Additionally, a significant amount of heat is lost into the room from the water through evaporation and convective heat transfer. This heat loss limits the time during which a person can enjoy the bath.

It has proven to be difficult to maintain the heat/temperature of the bath water. There is not an easy or safe way to heat the water in the tub. Adding additional water to the tub may be problematic as initially filling the tub often depletes the person's water heater. The large volume of water required to fill the bath tub often removes the majority of water from the person's water heater, significantly lowering the temperature of available hot water and reducing or eliminating the person's ability to continually replenish the bath water with additional hot water. A good amount of hot water is necessary to raise the temperature of a large volume of cooled bath water.

The floating insulating device 10 provides a convenient device and method for preventing heat loss from bath water. The device 10 thereby extends the time during which the water is hot and the bath is enjoyable.

The insulating device 10 is formed from an insulating material which has a density less than that of water such that the device 10 floats on water when placed in water. Preferably, the device 10 is formed from closed cell foam 14 so that the device does not accept water and lose buoyancy. The device 10 may be formed from foam such as a closed cell ethylene-vinyl acetate foam (EVA). According to one aspect of the invention, the device 10 can be cut from a sheet of closed cell foam and maintain a generally planar configuration.

The insulating device 10 may be cut to resemble a flower or flower petal; specifically a rose petal. Additionally, the insulating device 10 may be printed or otherwise colored to resemble a rose petal. The shape and color of the insulating device is selected to provide an attractive visual appearance and to be in harmony with a bathing experience so that the device enhances the pleasure experienced while bathing. FIGS. 2 and 3 show alternate configurations where the insulating device 10 is cut to resemble flowers. In addition to being cut from sheet foam, the insulating device 10 may be molded or textured to more closely resemble a flower, flower petal, or other object. Closed cell foam sheet is advantageous for forming the present invention as it is economical to cut insulating devices 10 from the sheet and the sheet typically has a surface which provides a desirable feel to users and which accepts printing or painting well to decorate the insulating device. Additionally, the insulating device may have a shape and appearance to resemble other objects such as stones, hearts, etc.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a portion of the insulating device 10. The insulating device 10 is generally flat and has been formed from a sheet of closed cell foam 14. The edge 18 of the insulating device 10 is cut in a particular shape or profile such as a flower petal or flower. The upper face 22 and lower face 26 have been printed, as indicated at 30, to provide color and surface details relevant to the particular shape which has been chosen for the insulating device 10. Typically, a plurality of insulating devices 10 are provided together and used together. Additionally, the insulating material 14 may contain an antimicrobial additive which prevents mildew from growing on the insulating devices 10.

FIG. 5 shows a number of the insulating devices 10 in use. FIG. 5 illustrates a bath tub 34 which is filled with heated bath water 38. As has been discussed, baths are typically used for relaxation where showers are typically selected for efficiency. As such, it is not uncommon for a person to desire a long hot bath. As discussed, the bath water gradually cools and the bath loses is relaxation value. It is difficult to maintain the temperature of the bath water except for simply draining water from the tub and adding more hot water. This is problematic as filling the tub initially will often nearly empty even a large water heater, limiting the availability of additional hot water. Moreover, where a person uses bath salts, oils, etc. in the bath water, draining water and adding additional hot water is undesirable as it dilutes these additives.

Adding a number of the insulating devices 10 to the bath water 38 significantly reduces the heat loss from the bath water. Heat is lost from the bath water through evaporation and through convective heat loss. As evaporating water molecules must contain the energy requisite to that state of matter (i.e. water in gas phase) they are higher in energy that the average water molecules in the bath water and lower the average energy level of the bath water. This reduces the bath water temperature. As the insulating devices 10 float on the top of the water 38, they reduce the available surface area for heat loss. Evaporation of bath water is proportional to the exposed area of bath water and reducing the area by covering it with insulating devices 10 will thereby reduce evaporation.

If the devices 10 are made from a material with good insulating properties such as closed cell foam, the conductive heat transfer through the devices is low and heat is retained in the bath water 38 as the exposed surface of the insulating device 10 remains cool and conductive/convective heat transfer is reduced. The benefit of the insulating devices 10 is roughly proportional to the fraction of the water 38 which is covered and thus to the number of devices 10 which are used. Thus, the devices are typically provided in a large quantity.

Often, bath tubs which are filled with water will have between about 1000 and 2000 square inches of exposed bath water surface area. If the insulating devices 10 are formed to resemble flowers they may have approximately 7 square inches of surface area per side, covering about 7 square inches of the surface of the water when placed thereon. If the insulating devices 10 are formed to resemble flower petals, they may have between about 0.5 and 2 square inches of surface area per side. To provide a significant reduction in heat loss from the bath water and an appreciably longer bath time, it may be desirable to cover between about 20 and 50 percent of the surface of the bath water 38. As such, approximately 300 to 1000 of total square inches of insulating devices may be provided or used together. Thus, a person using the insulating devices may use between about 30 and 150 flowers, between about 125 and 600 flower petals, or between about 100 and 500 mixed flowers and flower petals, depending on the size of the bath tub and the desired density of insulating devices 10 on the surface of the water 38. It is thus appreciated that the insulating devices are typically sold and used in relatively large quantities.

Where the insulating devices are used for a larger body of water, such as a hot tub, more may be provided. A hot tub may have 5000 or more square inches of exposed water area, and may thus require between about 1000 and 3000 square inches of insulating devices 10. This may equate to between about 150 and 750 flowers, between about 750 and 3000 petals, or between about 500 and 2500 mixed flowers and petals.

As discussed, the insulating devices are typically formed and finished to resemble a desired object in shape and appearance. Particularly desirable objects are flowers and flower petals. Providing a plurality of insulating devices which resemble flowers and flower petals is appealing to the bather as flowers and flower petals make a bath feel more luxurious to the bather. Thus, the insulating devices provide both the benefit of increasing the time during which the bath water remains in a desired temperature range and also making the bath feel more luxurious to the bather. The insulating devices are economical and environmentally friendly as they may be easily separated from the bath water and reused later. If formed from closed cell foam, the insulating devices are quite durable and require little care or maintenance.

There is thus disclosed an improved floating insulating device for use on bath water. It will be appreciated that numerous changes may be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of preventing heat loss from bath water comprising: selecting a tub having heated bath water therein; selecting a plurality of heat loss prevention devices, each of the heat loss prevention devices comprising a layer of closed cell foam cut in a shape selected from the group consisting of flowers or flower petals and printed to look like said flower or flower petal; and placing the plurality of heat loss devices in the tub while a person is bathing therein such that the heat loss devices float on the surface of the water to thereby reduce heat loss from the bath water.
 2. A system comprising: a tub; heated bath water in the tub; and a plurality of heat loss prevention devices placed in the tub and floating on the surface of the water, the heat loss prevention devices comprising decorative shapes formed from insulating closed cell foam.
 3. Insulating devices for preventing heat loss from bath water comprising: a plurality of insulating devices formed from a closed cell insulating foam; wherein each of the devices has a shape selected from the group consisting of flowers and flower petals; wherein each of the devices is printed to resemble said shape; and wherein each of the devices has a density which is lower than that of water so as to float on the surface of water. 